


Grateful

by Diary



Category: Ugly Betty
Genre: Bechdel Test Fail, Canon Character of Color, Character Study, Gen, POV Character of Color, POV Male Character, POV Santos Reynoso
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-16
Updated: 2016-06-16
Packaged: 2018-07-15 12:48:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 288
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7222990
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Diary/pseuds/Diary
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Repost. A look at Santos and his feelings towards Justin. Complete.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Grateful

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own Ugly Betty.

He always knew the kid wasn’t his.

Oh, sure, he was the one who got Hilda knocked up. He’s not stupid enough to deny this.

But the first time he saw the baby all wrapped up in pink blankets with big eyes and curly hair, he just knew it couldn’t be his.

The thing was: it wasn’t even the lack of masculinity, not really. It was the fact baby was so quiet and content. He nuzzled whoever touched him and fussed softly instead of crying loudly.

Hilda was made of steel. She was a fighter if he ever saw one. A real fighter, the type who didn’t care about dirt or blood or breaks in her perfectly manicured nails. She could smile prettily and touch softly, but anyone who got on her bad side had better start praying.

And he was thug and unashamed to admit it. Society could kiss his ass and keep looking down on him all it wanted.

Apparently, though, Hilda was determined to just ignore the fact the kid wasn’t really theirs. She let her mother dress the little boy like a little girl, smiled when he danced around, and indulgently cleaned him up when he started crying about getting dirty. When he got older, she let him play with fabrics and marched to school whenever kids rightfully beat him up.

They both knew this wasn’t the way life worked. Kids in Queens had to learn to protect themselves. The parents who complained to teachers and otherwise stepped in instead of letting their kid harden and figure out things themselves were just doing the kid a disservice.

When Rosa threw him out and warned him to stay away from her grandson, he was grateful.


End file.
